It Was November

It was November,

the month of crimson sunsets,

parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea,

passionate wind-songs in the pines.

-Anne of Green Gables

Linking to Skywatch.

Big Leaf Maple

Big Leaf  Maple leaves hamgimg on

in a little Poplar grove in Gifford Pinchot.

And another bonus image for reference...

my hiking boots (ehem) women's size US10.

Trout Creek

Trout Creek in the Rain

I'm breaking with my usual protocol today to post before and after images from hikes along the Pacific Crest Trail in Gifford Pinchot. The first was taken during a steady rain, and I ended up cutting the hike short because I was waterlogged and my camera rain cover was all fogged up. I wanted to return as soon as possible, because the fall

Trout Creek After the Rain

color was at its peak and extra vibrant this year, but we had heavy rains and gusty wind for several more days. I came back once the weather cleared, and photographed the same location, and I'm including that 'after the rain' image because the comparison is interesting I think. The second image was taken with a different lens, so zoomed in a bit. Only the two largest mossy boulders are visible in the swollen creek. The Y-shaped tree above broke off, probably struck by that large trunk now lying along the bank. And of course, notably less colorful, especially the reds. Just a few days later, and a completely different scene!

Lucky Bird

 

A light fog was still lingering over the Lewis River this morning,

perfect feeding time for this heron,

who graciously decided to take flight right as I clicked the shutter release!

Lucky :)
Linking to Weekend Reflections.

Creekside

Such a cute little creek in the Gifford Pinchot forest.  

Last week it was mostly rocks, 

but after a few inches of rain over the weekend 

all the creeks and streams are full.

A Yellow Wood

I mentioned in my previous post, Looking for Red, that the Vine Maples I've been seeing this fall in Gifford Pinchot National Forest are turning red where they are getting more light on the edges of forests or in clearings, and turning yellow deep in the woods where there's less light. Here is an example of yellow, on a section of the Pacific Crest Trail, which threads its way through Gifford Pinchot. 

Looking for Red

I was on a quest for red leaves this past week, driving up to Indian Heaven Wilderness in search of some red huckleberry leaves. No luck there, because snow set in before the leaves could turn. But in the lower elevations the vine maples, which tend to hide in the understory of fir and hemlock forests, are all exceptionally bright this year!  Yellow, deep in the forest, and red along the edge where they get more sunlight. This little guy is growing right on the edge of the forest, all by himself, in order to stand out better I suppose.

Panther Creek

Another version of 'Deep in the Woods', this time in a section of forest just upstream

from Panther Creek Falls (for a post showing the falls click here).

Deep in the Woods

Looks like it's going to be a colorful fall in Gifford Pinchot this year.

Hope the rain coming this week won't spoil it,
And won't bring snow to the mid elevations yet!
We went to Indian Heaven over the weekend, in search of fall color,
but it's already under a few feet of snow :(
And barely driveable in my minivan.

And Just Like That It's Fall

Sort of unusual for summer to linger into October, but that's the lucky weather we've been having in Southwest Washington this month.  Last week we woke up one day, freezing around the house all morning, before figuring out we needed to turn on the heater!  So sunny and 70s in the day and low 40s at night is how the week has gone.  And yesterday, we even had a little fog!  Exciting only because it's fresh right now.  (I'll be so sick of fog by the end of winter.) Clover and I walked to the little creek on the campus trails to see how it looked in a thin fog.  This involved hat and gloves, although I shed them before the end of the walk.  I liked the light; a thin fog adds just the right amount of diffusion for a photo with some depth.  I'll try this spot again once the Big Leaf Maples really start turning yellow.  (Plus I'm intending to get out with my camera a few times a week, so hopefully more active on the blog this month and next.)

I Spy

A cool snag reflection in Round Lake.

I was looking down on the water from this point.
I think my angle foreshortened the branch and elongated the reflection.

That's why the shapes are so asymmetrical. 

Linking to Weekend Reflections.

Cute Kitten Post

(A.K.A. Low Hanging Fruit)

Look deep into my eyes...

I am so cute. So adorable...

Pay no attention to my mousing practice; my scratching of your furniture and curtains...

My incessant need to try to eat the buttons off your shirt...

Because I am cute beyond belief...

Listen to me purr....(purr, purr, purr)

Love me! Love Me! LOVE ME!

Bashful

One of the dahlia varieties at Swan Island Dahlia Farm in Canby, Oregon.

Patchwork

View down the rows at the dahlia farm in Canby, Oregon.
Walking down the long aisle between rows
was so much fun...a seemingly never-ending variety of dahlias!

Huckleberry Patch

It's the end of the season for huckleberries in Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

We found the most berries in this patch, but getting to be slim pickings.